High-rate holding patternThe housing crash never arrived. Neither did the recovery. Three years after prices effectively flat-lined, buyers face some of the worst affordability conditions in decades, activity remains sluggish, and even Wall Street is beginning to lower expectations for a meaningful rebound. For the first time in modern memory, U.S. household wealth tied to stocks has surged past real estate. While Wall Street parties, Main Street housing remains stuck in a high-rate holding pattern.Weakest start